“SCIENTIFIC CREATIONISM”

In recent years there has been much public debate about how the beginnings of the universe and the emergence of man ought to be taught in the public schools. While Darwin’s “Origin of the Species” has been virtually unchallenged for the past 5 decades, fundamentalists of late have been pushing for equal time for a theory they call “Scientific Creationism.”

Scientific Creationism is usually defined as a “belief, based on scientific principles, that there was a time in the past when all matter, energy and life, and their processes and relationships were created ex nihilo (out of nothing) and fixed by creative and intelligent design (God). “Its proponents argue that the biblical account of creation is as “scientific” as Darwin’s theory of evolution. Why shouldn’t both “theories” be given equal time? Why should students only be taught that man developed from monkeys and not also be informed that they were “created in the image of God?”

The problem is that the biblical account that the creationists’ want taught is a fundamental, literal interpretation of the story of Genesis. While this interpretation conforms with the religious beliefs of some religious groups in our society, all religious groups obviously do not share it. The result therefore would be that the public schools would be teaching sectarian religious beliefs, which is in direct violation of the separation of church and state as defined by the First Amendment.

The biblical account of creation is subject to many interpretations. It doesn’t necessarily teach creation out of nothing. It can be understood to teach that God brought form and order to pre-existing matter, which had been in a state of chaos (i.e. without form). So stated Rashi in his classical commentary. According to Rashi, the opening verses of Genesis teach us that God’s first creative act was the creation of light. This interpretation is reflected in the new Jewish Publication Society’s translation of the Torah: “When God began to create the heavens and the earth—the earth being unformed and void—God said: ‘Let there be light.’”

Which interpretation should be taught in the public schools? None, The teaching of the biblical account of creation—whether it is called “Scientific Creationism” or by any other name—should be restricted to the home, to private schools and to houses of worship where each religious group has the opportunity to teach the story of creation as it understands it.

Our Founding Fathers were most wise and prudent when they established the principle of the separation of church and state: In a pluralistic society, we must respect the opinions and convictions of all. We do this best by confining sectarian religious doctrines—such as “Scientific Creationism”—to our homes, our religious schools and our houses of worship.